Torto and I "diced-it-up" at the lobby of the Crown Plaza - Milwaukee for an A.L. series last Thursday night. My forever hoovering around .500 team went into the night a game under even and left at, you got it, .500. I beat Torto 2-1. So, through 24 games, I am 12-12. Yawn.
*** Game 1 ***
Spot starter, Alfredo Aceves, put the "ace" in "Aceves" in game one, earning his third victory of the year. Aceves, generally a long reliever, scattered six hits and an earned run through six solid innings. Torto received even worse news after the game when a MRI revealed that fragile starter Eric Bedard's arm actually came disconnected, turned blue and black and fell, lifeless, to the ground through just 2 and 2/3 innings. Bedard is out for the season.
Nick's offense helped Aceves' cause by scoring six runs through the first four innings. Aki Iwamura had two hits and two rbis, while Mike Napoli also had a mutli-hit performance. No-names like Marco Scutaro, Asdrubal Cabrera and Gabe Kapler added rbis. Torto's lone run came in the bottom of the sixth on a Robinson Cano single that scored Jason Bartlett.
WP - Aceves LP - Bedard
Nick wins 6-1
*** Game 2 ***
With Team Torto's Eric Bedard now having only one arm, it could be argued that he could have done a Jim Abbott impression and pitched a better game two than the two-armed Brad Bergesen. Nick's team relentlessly racked up 15 runs (eight of them on Bergey), in a 15-2 route of the downtrodden Tort, despite not hitting a HR.
Mark Texiera has been looking very comfortable in his new uni, going 2x4 with two doubles and 4 rbis. Since joining the Mariners, Tex has driven in 14 runs. Asdrubal notched three hits and three rbis, while Nappy had another multi-hit performance.
Scott Baker earned a complete game win, yielding just two runs.
WP - Baker LP - Bergesen
Nick wins 15-2
*** Game 3 ***
Torto had enough of the beatings in game one and two and gave one back in game three. In a one-run game through five innings, Torto broke things way open in the six-run sixth against the usually reliable Denys Baez (2 IP, 7 ER). Tort tacked on a couple more for the fans, ultimately winning 11-5. Matt Garza cruised to the win, going 8 1/3 and striking out seven.
Torto's 1-4 hitters scoreed eight of the runs and drove in all 11 runs. Matsui had two hits and four rbis, Maglio had two hits and three rbis, Cano had three hits and three rbis. Jason Bartlett had a fantasy manager's dream with three hits, four runs, three sbs and a rbi.
WP - Garza LP - Baez
Torto 11, Nick 5
Nick wins series 2-1 on the road.
Good series boys. On a side note (regarding the poll of the week) Posey's a stud, to be sure, but let's see him do it for five years before he achieves Mauer status. I love the guy, but just because he's had one hell of a year doesn't make him a hall-of-famer quite yet. We've got to pump the brakes on the rookie madness before we're comparing that greasy Cubs shortstop to Jeter.
ReplyDeleteWell said Keith, and you are correct of course, Posey's career is but a short blip so far, and his long term prospects may not be Mauer-esque. But as it stands in the present, the only difference between Posey and Mauer is the 22 mil per year AND a WS Ring.
ReplyDeleteGood series Nick. You showed me what a real offense looks like for about 21 of those 27 innings. Ugh. Thank goodness Matt Garza has been solid all season.
Bedard is done, and with it likely my entire season. I knew relying on a couple of 'F' durability pitchers was a risk when I drafted them, but other parts of his card looked so darn good.
I'd also like to declare that RHP Ian Snell will be called up from AAA ball to fill in for the defunct Erik Bedard. Nick also failed to mention that I proceeded to rip Bedard's card in half upon discovering his injury status. A meaningless, if not satisfying gesture.